What's best for cleaning alloys?

[seb]

I've got a V8S with OZ 8 spoke wheels. Can anyone recommend a good cleaner, they are a bit corroded and will need more than a good polish.
MTIA Steve

[njw]

I tried using Autoglym alloy wheel cleaner but it stripped what was left of the laquer and made the wheels look worse. Until I get a chance to get them refurbished (see other threads) I use v-fine wire wool and T-Cut. I know, I know, you shouldn't T-Cut alloy wheels but I figured, what the hell, my wheels are corroded anyway and it does manage to inject a bit of glisten into them. It certainly gets rid of the usual gunge.

Cheers

[M@H]

Are they laquered or just bare metal.. if they are laquered don't go near them with the wire wool.. you'd need to get them stripped and re-furbished..

Cheers :-)
Matt.

[seb]

I'm sure that they're lacquered - but how do you tell?

[M@H]

Seb, because they will look like they have white blisters where water has got under the laquer and oxidised the metal.. you'd find that the laquer is basicall peeling off in places like this.. I'll send you a mail with a picture of one now.. better still, I'll post it here in a sec..

Cheers
Matt.


>> Edited by M@H on Wednesday 1st May 17:25

[M@H]

here you go..


(thanks to Steve P. for the wheel photo)

Cheers
Matt

[seb]

Thanks for the pic, mine don't look like that. They don't have that smooth shiny look, (just like my old motorbike front forks) which I guess is the lacquer. They're more grimy overall rather than peeling in patches and metallic to the touch. I'll take a pic in the morning and post it, perhaps someone will be able to tell me what they think and which proprietory alloy wheel cleaner would be recommended.
Many thanks so far, Steve

[gadgit]

I had just fitted new discs back and front to my beamer and made the mistake of useing a spray alloy wheel cleaner from my local discount auto dealer.
The wheels came up like new, washed off the residue ( I thought) and two days later the discs were all rusty!

Advice to remember. If you use a acid based cleaner, take the wheels off before cleaning them. wash them down with 40 gallons of water!

you will know if the cleaner is acid based as you will smell it in the air!

Just imagine the effect on all the brake parts when this acid gets into them. Our cars suffer enough from rust without adding to it. So take the wheels off!

Interim cleans should be done with car wash on the car, and washed down again with loads of water. As you may have seen, even water rusts the discs after washing your car.

The ideal cleaner would be a none acid based product, but most of the alloy cleaners have something in them to shift the black dust.

good luck.

gadgit.

[PowaSlider]

The ideal alloy wheel cleaner?.............


Why, a woman of course!!!

[seb]

here's one of the wheels in question. Does it look lacquered to you? (first attempt at posting a pic!)

[M@H]

Is that rust (?!) on the rim.. or is it just brown gunk?? (first ever stainless wheels everyone !)

looking at the spoked section I'd say they were laquered but I'm not sure about the rim area. that brown stuff is confusing

[M@H]

Decided.. they are laquered.. yep.

[seb]

Had a closer look today while taking the photos, if you look at the lefthand edge of the second image there's a cleaner patch that I've cleaned. The brownish deposits (that look like rust) come off leaving small darker grey speckles. I think this is where the elements have eaten throught the lacquer and stained the alloy.

[M@H]

Yeah, that grey is as good as you'll get them without stripping them I'm afraid.. then you just need a series of drill attachments etc to polish them, followed by a new coat of lacquer.

If you have a local metal finishers near you they might bead blast them for you cash in hand..

Theres one near me that apparently does £10 a wheel on a Saturday morning..

Cheers
Matt

PS Don't think that you can remove the laquer by hand yourself unless you have arms like a Gorilla.. its tough old stuff. I tried on a set of Empi's once, gave up and sprayed them silver instead.

[seb]

Cheers all,
I'll just buy some cleaner from the motorist discount and use elbow grease until I can get them refurbished properly.
Steve